The story although short manages to pack a lot in. Widow's Island is a fabulous setting, the characterisation is fantastic. There is a solid plot line with a murder to solve and plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested.
Although the killer is caught a lot of avenues are left open for more to come in the series.
A thoroughly enjoyable read and I am looking forward to the next one.

The ongoing saga of these characters is interesting and makes you feel like they are friends. The writers of these novellas are so well matched that you don't notice a difference in the writing from story to story, they have great continuation! There is a great mystery with plenty of surprises in each individual story, while the big mystery surrounding Samantha is delved into a little more with each one. I can't wait for the next edition!

This is a great start to what will be a four novella series by Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh and is a very satisfying one evening read. As always with Ms Elliot's books the heroine, this time FBI agent Cate Wilder, is likeable with a strong sense of loyalty.  The location is a nicely isolated island with a history which must have been great fun to invent.

There is a complete story within these pages along with a hint of things to come with the unsolved  disappearance of Samantha, the friend of Cate and Tessa, the heroine in the next book, when they were all 14 years old. Add to that the first stirrings of romance and you have a story which really works.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to Netgalley, thoroughly enjoyed it, and would definitely recommend it highly.

Elliot just keeps getting better and better. I love the new setting and look forward to reading more stories set in Widow's Island.

Really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the rest of the series. Hope the series will go into print in the future.

NUMBER OF HEARTS: 4 1/2
I was so excited when Kendra & Melinda announced that the were teaming up again to bring us a new novella series!! It is always exciting when these two team up. The new series takes us to Widow’s Island up in the Pacific Northwest. Close to the Bone brings us not one by two mysteries that need to be solved.

FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde is back on Widow’s Island to recover from her injuries. But when a call come in the middle of the night that a bone of what looks like a young girl are found. Cate will not let her injuries stop her from getting answers to who it is. As Cate approaches the crime scene the passed floods back to her of another missing girl from her past. Could this be here? Will they finally have the answers they have seeked for 20 years?

You will have to pick up a copy of Close to the Bone to find out!!!

I am on to book two in this series A Bone to Pick.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Montlake Romance
in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

I'm a big fan of the Mercy Kilpatrick series by Kendra Elliot so I was excited to be able to read and review the first novella in the Widow's Island series.

From the very beginning you are pulled into a world of intrigue, suspense and awe of the island way of life on Widow's Island. Elliot has a way with words that brings images to life with each page. I feel I am watching my own private movie when I read one of her books.

Cate Wilde is on medical leave after a shooting but is drawn back into work along side her childhood friend Tessa Black. Their backstory lends to the missing person and remains found, and has you sympathizing with these two women and their past.

With the introduction of each new person to the story a new suspicion enters your mind on who could have done it! There are so many that were touched by the disappearance of both young girls and waiting on the discovery of the who and why with each twist and turn is an exciting and fun read.

While Cate and the new Dr./coroner are flirtatious and obviously start dating, as in the other Kendra Elliot books I have read, there is not much time spent on the romance of the couples.

I can't wait for the other novellas in this series.

Another amazing mystery series by Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh. Ms. Elliot has written “Close to the Bone” which highlights FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde. Cate is on medical leave recuperating from a gun-shot wound and the death of her partner. She is visiting Widow’s Island, where her grandmother still lives and where she was raised by her grandmother. Her medical leave is interrupted when human bones are found on the island. Cate will receive back up from her best friend, Deputy Tessa Black. Could these be the remains of a famous author’s daughter? Or could these be the remains of Cate and Tessa’s missing childhood friend? Since the ferry is unable to reach the island, the bones have been stored in Dr. Henry Powers’ clinic. When the bones are stolen, Cate realizes that the killer must still be on the island. A thrilling mystery with an unexpected and unique ending. I look forward to Ms. Leigh’s contribution to this series “A Bone to Pick”. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to give an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

FBI Special Agent Cate Wilder is back home on Widow's Island recovering from a gunshot wound to the shoulder and the loss of her partner when she gets a call to check out some bones on Ruby's Island. Since the ferry isn't running, no other agent can get there.

This is rather traumatic for Cate since her best friend disappeared when she was fourteen and Cate and Tessa have been feeling guilt ever since. Both Cate and Tessa went into law enforcement and now Tessa is back home working on Widow's Island as a deputy.

The bones might be of their friend Samantha but it is more likely that the bones belong to Becca Conan who disappeared a few years earlier. Her father is the only one who lives on Ruby's Island. He's a best selling mystery author who has taken his daughter's disappearance badly. His wife headed back to New York but he won't leave because he is still holding out hope that Becca will come home some day.

The story, for all its brevity, builds a lot in. Widow's Island is a unique place. Many, including Cate and Samantha, are descendant's of the original settlers and still recall the scandal of Elias Bishop, wealthy shipbuilder, who betrayed his wife Camilla with Ruby. Elias and Ruby died together and many thought that Camilla was responsible. Cate is the great-great-granddaughter of Ruby and Elias. She feels certain that she's seen Ruby's ghost but that isn't something she's shared with many. Also, Widow's Island is unique in that some feel at home there and find it a healing place while others can't get comfortable there and quickly move on. Cate's mother is one of those who moved on leaving her son and daughter to her own mother to raise.

There's a budding romance between Cate and the new doctor on the island. The main mystery in this one - the identity of the bones and who killed her - is solved. But the bigger mystery of Samantha's disappearance is still unsolved and Tessa and Cate decide that they need to look into it.

Close to the Bone was a fun, quick read with an interesting mystery plotline and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde is back home on remote Widow’s Island while she recovers from an injury sustained on the job. In the middle of the night she gets a call that bones have been found on a nearby island and with the ferry from the mainland down, Cate is the only agent close enough to work the case. Cate quickly begins to see similarities between this victim and her best friend who has been missing for nearly twenty years. As Cate begins working the case, it becomes clear someone will do anything to keep this secret buried.

Cate was injured three weeks prior to the start of the book and is still recovering when the story starts. Cate does experience some physical difficulties because of her injury and I liked that she wasn’t superwoman who didn’t feel any pain. In addition to Cate working the case there is also Tessa Black, Cate’s childhood friend who became a local deputy. Cate and Tessa are both forced to relive what happened to Samantha due to the similarities to the case they’re working. There’s also the hint of a romance for Cate with the local doctor/coroner, Henry Powers, and I’m excited to see where that goes.

The investigation into the bones found on Ruby’s Island was an interesting one and I was curious who the culprit behind the death would be. I have to say I was quite surprised by who it was as I had a different suspect in mind. I like that there will be a common thread running through these novellas as Cate and Tessa look into the disappearance of their friend Samantha. I’m quite interested to find out what happened to her as they didn’t go too much into detail in this first novella.

Close to the Bone was a great introduction to the Widow’s Island series and I’m excited to see where future books take the story.

I love craft beer and real ale. If is often a real delight to sample a drink that comes about through the combined efforts of two separate breweries.
Switching to my joy of reading. When I learned that two established and talented writers were working together on a new novella series I wanted to read them early and was grateful to receive advanced reader’s copies of the first two books.
This is number one with the addition need to set the series and establish a sense of place its inhabitants. I found the location extremely interesting and fun. The closed community especially outside of the tourist season was penned with detail and a little mischief.
The concept of widows and the spirit of feeling you belong was a good aspect of laying down the magic and the mystery of the place.
The story was carefully revealed with a number of issues unresolved going forward. Already the sense of a closed and potentially isolated community stuck on a Island has been added to the mix.
I liked the idea of things from the past changing you as a person both for the worse as much as placing new determination in your attitudes and desires.
The seeds of romance have been sown; future investigations opened up and unused characters introduced.
In book 2 the other partner in this project takes up the story. I can’t wait to read on and contrast their writing style.
For now I am hooked and have a greater appreciation for a new author to me. Not sure if I am sold on the use of italics to reveal what some characters are thinking in addition to their spoken words.
Short enough to finish in one session and of a high standard that you want to pick up the story.
Will be devoured by fans of these fine authors but should also introduce their talents to a new group of readers as well. I for one have been won over.

4 Stars.
I'm a big fan of both Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot and have read their other joint novella series ‘Rogue River’, in which each author writes an alternate story in the series.
‘Close To The Bone’ begins with FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde getting a phone call in the middle of the night that skeletal remains have been found on the remote island of Ruby’s Island, Washington. Being a native of Widow’s Island and home on medical leave, Cate is thrown into a potential murder investigation along with her childhood best friend Tessa Black. An investigation that may also bring answers to a 15 year old mystery.
This was a quick, romantic suspense read I really enjoyed it. A good start to another novella series.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #CloseToTheBone

Always a fan of Kendra Elliot & Melinda Leigh. This is a short, captivating novella with some cross over characters from the Rogue River series.

FBI Agent, Cate Wilde, is off duty and back home on Widow’s Island when she gets a request to help the local law enforcement team with skeletal remains found on a neighboring island. She teams up with her childhood best friend, Deputy Tessa Black. As the investigation develops, Cate and Tessa can’t help but wonder if the remains could be that of their best friend, Samantha, who disappear when they were teenagers. With the help of the new coroner, they set out to identify the bodies and search for answers.

It is always difficult to read and review a novella, especially a good one, because you are always left wanting more. This is a great, quick read and a good start for this new novella series. The plot is woven just right to keep the story interesting and on point. 4 stars.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited for this new series because I've read a lot from Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh. I like their stories and character development. This series focuses on Cate and Tessa. Elliot writes from Cate's point of view and Leigh writes from Tessa. The first two novellas are not the same story from different points of view, but rather two stories a few weeks apart.

Cate and Tessa have a great friendship. Cate, recently injured on the job, was a strong character. There is lot there that can be explored further in future stories. Henry is sweet but there isn't a whole lot of time spent on the buildup of him and Cate.

I think my biggest issue would just be the novella format. Since they are independent novellas, the story wrapped up by the end. But since it was shorter, there wasn't a suspenseful build up. They just kind of wrapped up the case and caught the bad guy.

I'm excited to read more about Cate and Tessa. I hope there is more on them working on Samantha's case.

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kendra Elliot comes the first novella in the thrilling Widow’s Island series.
Back at her island home recovering from a shooting, FBI agent Cate Wilde is called in when a young girl's bones are found. Could these be the remains of a teen who went missing 2 years ago? Or the remains of Cate's childhood friend who went missing 15 year ago?
Being back on the island she escaped from for a more exciting life, Cate's recovery brings with it old memories and new acquaintances int he form of the new local doctor Henry. While investigating the case together, subtle signs of attractions emerge, making the pull to stay on the island even stronger for Cate.
This was a novella and easy to read, but the plot line was solid and the characters fully developed. I really enjoyed this book, which is labeled at Book 1. I'm diving into book 2 tonight!
4 well deserved stars.

A set of bones have been unearthed on the island, cut off from the mainland FBI agent Cate, is on medical leave staying with her grandmother when she is called to investigate. Are the bones of a teen girl who went missing a few years prior or of Cate’s childhood friend who went missing decades before?

I love Kendra’s books and this follows the perfect formula! On to book 2 now. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is a novella so it’s a short story. Even so, this book packs a lot of action and suspense. It’s a wonderfully weaved tale. I read it in one sitting and loved it. I received an advance review copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fantastic read. I like that Cate and Tessa renew their friendship. It had a little romance which was ok and I was happy it didn't overpower the story because it was a great mystery to solve and I hoping in the next book it won't be focus more on the romance because it only hint at it in this book and more on the next mystery.

I really enjoyed this Novella. It was a good mystery to solve and introduce you to Widow's Island. There is a romance in this book but it's not like a typical romance/suspense book. This book isn't long enough to go quite far into the romance part. This book is more focused on the mystery. As this is a running series the romance part is okay because you will see the characters recurring in the following novellas. I did not guess who the killer was and that I liked. I look foward to reading more in this series.


*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

Thankyou to NetGalley, Montlake Romance and the author, Kendra Elliot, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of the novella Close To The Bone in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
What a fantastic quick read. I enjoyed the story. It was a fast paced and easy to follow storyline that was well written. There wasn't anything to not like about this book.
Would definitely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a face-paced thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. 4.5 stars